1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a mattress encasement and more particularly to a mattress encasement for preventing bed bug escapement through a zipper opening in the encasement or bed bug encroachment through the zipper opening.
2. Description of the Related Art
Bed bug infestation in mattresses is a growing concern. Many attempts have been provided to prevent the bed bugs from moving from an infested mattress to bed clothing where the bed bugs feast on an individual sleeping in the bed. If the mattress encasement did not have zippers formed therein to facilitate the positioning of the mattress within the encasement, the movement of the bed bugs from the mattress would be thwarted since the encasement is comprised of a bed bug impervious material. However, a mattress encasement must be periodically removed from the mattress for laundering which makes it imperative that zippers be utilized. Even though the teeth of the zipper tracks of the mattress encasements are very small in size to thwart the movement of bed bugs therethrough, bed bugs still pass through the zipper tracks. One attempt to prevent the escapement of bed bugs from a mattress through a mattress encasement is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,552,489. Although it is believed that the mattress encasement described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,552,489 does reduce the movement of bed bugs from the mattress through the zipper, Applicant has developed an improved mattress encasement which is regarded as a dramatic improvement over the '489 Patent and the other prior art encasements.